Mixed Mushroom and Roasted Red Pepper Strudel with Chevre Cheese

Preparation Time: 15 minutesCooking Time: 2 hours

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Michele Brusegard started eating mushrooms about 10 years ago, but before that she studiously avoided them in any dish. She had prepared a similar strudel recipe, but didn't like the results. After some thought, she developed this dish. I use mushrooms now fairly often, she says.

2. To make the Filling: Roast the peppers under a broiler, turning often, until the skins are blackened, for about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a paper bag, and steam them for another 15 minutes.

Remove the charred skins from the peppers, holding them over a bowl to catch the juices. Thinly slice the peppers, and set aside the strips from 1 pepper to use as a garnish. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

3. Heat the wine or water in a large skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic in the liquid for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid is almost evaporated, for about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat, and mix the mushroom mixture and pepper strips together. Season with salt and pepper, and set the mixture aside.

4. To make the Strudel: Put the dried mushrooms into a bag, and crush them

using a rolling pin. Spray one sheet of the phyllo dough with nonstick cooking spray, and spread some of the mushroom crumbs on top. Place another layer of phyllo on top, coating it with nonstick cooking spray and mushroom crumbs. Continue to layer the phyllo and mushroom crumbs until the phyllo is used up.

5. Drain any collected fluid from the mushroom-pepper mixture, combine it with the reserved roasted pepper juice, and set aside. Spread the filling on top of the phyllo, and sprinkle with the crumbled chevre cheese. Starting at the longer side of the phyllo sheet, roll the strudel into a log, and tuck in the sides. Carefully place the strudel onto the baking sheet.

6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden in color. Remove from the oven.

7. Meanwhile, to make the Sauce: Put the tomato juice, garlic and herbs into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix the wine, the reserved liquids from the mushrooms and peppers and the cornstarch. Slowly whisk the mixture into the tomato juice, and cook until thickened. Whisk in the milk, remove from the heat and keep warm.

8. To serve, spoon half of the sauce onto 6 individual plates, and cut the strudel into 6 portions, placing one portion on each plate. Spoon the remaining sauce over the strudel. Garnish with the pepper strips.